Boarding

[78232]

I realize that suite guests and 4-5 star mariners board first.  After that is the boarding done from highest decks down to lowest?  This seemed to be the case several years ago in San Diego but I have no idea if that is the usual organizational pattern.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mary229]

I think that is right but truthfully I have never had a long wait.  HAL tends to have comfortable seating in the waiting area and the fellow passengers  are so  pleasant the time flies by.  I usually get there by 11.  However with Covid it may all be different.  You may be assigned a boarding time now 

[Cruizer Diana]

For the Alaska sailings, you are assigned a time, which is not based on 4* or 5.* It appears to be based on when your flight/transfer arrives. Locals have been assigned the later times--usually noon or 1:00pm. For more discussion about this, look at the Nieuw Amsterdam roll calls for July 24th and August 7th.

[jhsocal]

Pre-Covid, these boarding arrival times were often ignored. Anyone know if they are being enforced on these Alaska cruises.Should clarify-referring to times you are supposed to arrive at port.

[Loreto]

13 minutes ago, Cruizer Diana said:

For the Alaska sailings, you are assigned a time, which is not based on 4* or 5.* It appears to be based on when your flight/transfer arrives. Locals have been assigned the later times--usually noon or 1:00pm. For more discussion about this, look at the Nieuw Amsterdam roll calls for July 24th and August 7th.

For our July 31st Alaska sailing we (who are 5*) had the same boarding time as our son (no*) as we came on the bus from the HAL hotel, the Airport Hilton.  Our boarding time was 12:20 pm.  Bus arrived at 12 and we were allowed to check in, which went very smoothly.  Our documents were first checked at one of the numerous  check points.  They really scrutinized our 12 year old grand daughter's documents.  We then took the escalator upstairs to check in.  As we are 5* and paying for our son and family on my credit card, we were allowed to all go through the priority check in line, which we appreciated.  We would have gone through the regular line, which wasn't very long at all.  Our pictures were taken and passports scanned and we headed for the ship.  There is a large waiting area.

 

It was the smoothest check in we have ever experienced and I think we were onboard by 12:30.

[Mary229]

@Loreto  it sounds like normal times.  I have always made it onboard for lunch even with a stop by my cabin to drop off my carryon.  I am not a 4 or 5 star. Disembarkation is a whole other story. 

[Loreto]

7 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

@Loreto  it sounds like normal times.  I have always made it onboard for lunch even with a stop by my cabin to drop off my carryon.  I am not a 4 or 5 star. Disembarkation is a whole other story. 

Disembarkation was very smooth.  We had Port Valet BBBB for 8:45  and they called us early. We were the 2nd group after self disembark.  There were no masses of people waiting to get off and it was well organized.  We walked out to the bus and got to SEATAC with 3 hours to spare.  Lucky because it took 45 minutes to get through security.  I have never seen lines that long!  On top of that security wanted to look in my carryon. So be prepared for crowds...everyone was wearing a mask thank goodness.

Karen

[Cruizer Diana]

30 minutes ago, Loreto said:

For our July 31st Alaska sailing we (who are 5*) had the same boarding time as our son (no*) as we came on the bus from the HAL hotel, the Airport Hilton.  Our boarding time was 12:20 pm.  Bus arrived at 12 and we were allowed to check in, which went very smoothly.  Our documents were first checked at one of the numerous  check points.  They really scrutinized our 12 year old grand daughter's documents.  We then took the escalator upstairs to check in.  As we are 5* and paying for our son and family on my credit card, we were allowed to all go through the priority check in line, which we appreciated.  We would have gone through the regular line, which wasn't very long at all.  Our pictures were taken and passports scanned and we headed for the ship.  There is a large waiting area.

 

It was the smoothest check in we have ever experienced and I think we were onboard by 12:30.

Thank you for the details. 

What is the deal with the photos. Many on the roll calls mention taking a photo, but then some mention having the photo taken at check-in. Do they just take your photo if you didn't upload it on the app?

[jhsocal]

Have read on other posts that going through security at Seatac is often very slow. Seams to be worse than at many other cities.

Loreto, your boarding seemed very smooth, always a pleasant start.

[aliaschief]

1 hour ago, jhsocal said:

Pre-Covid, these boarding arrival times were often ignored. Anyone know if they are being enforced on these Alaska cruises.Should clarify-referring to times you are supposed to arrive at port.

Yes. Saw someone arrive an hour early last week and told they would have to wait. Feel they are lenient if ten to fifteen early. Once cleared suites and 4&5 were first to board.

[RuthC]

3 hours ago, 78232 said:

After that is the boarding done from highest decks down to lowest?  This seemed to be the case several years ago in San Diego but I have no idea if that is the usual organizational pattern.

I have seen that method of boarding on other lines, but never on HAL.

Even back in the days when boarding didn't start until after 1:00 PM, passengers were given a boarding number based on when they checked in. After HAL started early boarding, but cabins weren't available until later, all the cabins were opened for passengers at the same time. Then came the latest boarding procedure before covid---all cabins were (normally ready) at 11:30, which is when boarding began. 

[Mary229]

@RuthC  on my last HAL out of Fort Lauderdale it was done that way. 4 and 5’s then by floor.  I was on ship by noon.  I thought it was a weird way to do it because many don’t show up at 11.  Maybe they repeat the sequence, I don’t know.  

[jimgev]

Has anyone experienced "priority boarding" via "Club Orange"? Are they treated similar to 4-5*?

 

[Loreto]

1 hour ago, Cruizer Diana said:

Thank you for the details. 

What is the deal with the photos. Many on the roll calls mention taking a photo, but then some mention having the photo taken at check-in. Do they just take your photo if you didn't upload it on the app?

We took our photos for the Navigator App, but they were taken again at check in. 

 

I will say the Navigator App was a pain throughout   the cruise.  One man commented to a friend while waiting for our shore excursions "that it was worthless."  We were told to use it to check in for excursions, yet the ticket info would disappear and would prompt you to put your user name and password in again!   Then we were told they could scan our key card instead...much easier!  Dinner reservations disappeared when they were there in the morning.   My husband was not able to make a reservations from the app.

 

It was announced that the final statement would be on the in room tv (It was not)  or on the Navigator App, but to was tiny and didn't make sense and no way to print it out.  I hope things are smoother for future cruises!

[atexsix]

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

I have seen that method of boarding on other lines, but never on HAL.

Even back in the days when boarding didn't start until after 1:00 PM, passengers were given a boarding number based on when they checked in. After HAL started early boarding, but cabins weren't available until later, all the cabins were opened for passengers at the same time. Then came the latest boarding procedure before covid---all cabins were (normally ready) at 11:30, which is when boarding began. 

In a way I miss those days, oftentimes I would wait until 2 when everybody already checked in, no lines or anything, I'd get out of the cab and be on the ship about 5 minutes later 🙂

[Suslor]

3 hours ago, Loreto said:

For our July 31st Alaska sailing we (who are 5*) had the same boarding time as our son (no*) as we came on the bus from the HAL hotel, the Airport Hilton.  Our boarding time was 12:20 pm.  Bus arrived at 12 and we were allowed to check in, which went very smoothly.  Our documents were first checked at one of the numerous  check points.  They really scrutinized our 12 year old grand daughter's documents.  We then took the escalator upstairs to check in.  As we are 5* and paying for our son and family on my credit card, we were allowed to all go through the priority check in line, which we appreciated.  We would have gone through the regular line, which wasn't very long at all.  Our pictures were taken and passports scanned and we headed for the ship.  There is a large waiting area.

 

It was the smoothest check in we have ever experienced and I think we were onboard by 12:30.

@Loreto  thanks for the info. I’m just wondering what documents other than boarding passes, COVID-19 proof and passport were required for your granddaughter. We booked a June 2023 cruise to celebrate our grandsons 14th birthday and graduation and want to be prepared. Thanks 

[Boytjie]

4 hours ago, Cruizer Diana said:

Thank you for the details. 

What is the deal with the photos. Many on the roll calls mention taking a photo, but then some mention having the photo taken at check-in. Do they just take your photo if you didn't upload it on the app?

We took our picture using the Navigator app but then at the final checkpoint the woman insisted of taking our pictures. But the checkin failed and we were sent to the counter for processing. Both of us scanned OK and our pictures were not taken again. Not sure what was happening there. 
 

We were in the terminal at 1:35 pm and our assigned time was 1:40. There were quite a lot of people in the lines. We were in our cabin at 2:03 pm.  

[12cruise2]

Did they look at your documents--what about the negative covid test result?  Do they just look at it?  I'm assuming they don't collect it, or?

 

Thank you for all your information.  Enjoy your cruise.

[Brentt_M]

3 hours ago, Suslor said:

@Loreto  thanks for the info. I’m just wondering what documents other than boarding passes, COVID-19 proof and passport were required for your granddaughter. We booked a June 2023 cruise to celebrate our grandsons 14th birthday and graduation and want to be prepared. Thanks 

That was all that was needed for my 12 yr old son on the 7/31 cruise, and he was not scrutinized at all.  They barely glanced at our docs.  We uploaded our pics to the app before hand and it worked great.  They had us go to a little tablet like device that used facial recognition to identify us amd then we held up our passports for it to scan. Got a green ok and was pointed to the ship to walk on.  Easiest embarkation I have ever experienced.

Edited August 15, 2021 by Brentt_M

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

11 hours ago, Loreto said:

For our July 31st Alaska sailing we (who are 5*) had the same boarding time as our son (no*) as we came on the bus from the HAL hotel, the Airport Hilton.  Our boarding time was 12:20 pm.  Bus arrived at 12 and we were allowed to check in, which went very smoothly.  Our documents were first checked at one of the numerous  check points.  They really scrutinized our 12 year old grand daughter's documents.  We then took the escalator upstairs to check in.  As we are 5* and paying for our son and family on my credit card, we were allowed to all go through the priority check in line, which we appreciated.  We would have gone through the regular line, which wasn't very long at all.  Our pictures were taken and passports scanned and we headed for the ship.  There is a large waiting area.

 

It was the smoothest check in we have ever experienced and I think we were onboard by 12:30.

Sounds good.

[Caribbean Chris]

12 hours ago, jimgev said:

Has anyone experienced "priority boarding" via "Club Orange"? Are they treated similar to 4-5*?

 

Bear in mind the following info was Pre-Covid, and we are 3* so don’t know yet how 4*/5* are usually treated. 

 

We were booked in a Neptune suite, arrived at the pier in Ft. Lauderdale around 11:15 a.m. or so, and after passing through security saw an impossible-to-miss Orange sign identifying it as the Club Orange/Neptune line. No one else in that line, so we were immediately greeted and “processed.” I can’t recall whether the same line signage additionally indicated it was the line for 4*/5*. 
 

As soon as the paperwork was done, the greeter had another port worker escort us to a small separate room I’d never seen before. Others were gathered there, ended up being maybe 20 people total, for about 30 minutes and then all of us were escorted aboard. Nobody much around as we went up the gangway so I assume this was ahead of general boarding.

[idiebabe]

9 hours ago, 12cruise2 said:

Did they look at your documents--what about the negative covid test result?  Do they just look at it?  I'm assuming they don't collect it, or?

 

Thank you for all your information.  Enjoy your cruise.

When you enter the Terminal at Pier 91 they have freestanding Health Counters where you go and show your Vaccine Card, etc. and he did look at the Vax Cards.  He also asked us the routine Health Questions and then "cleared us to Sail".  After that you go through Security and then proceed up to Check-in.  We went to the Counter and she retook our Pics and checked our Documents and then we Boarded.  It was very easy.  The whole thing took us about 10 - 15 minutes.   

 

Just want to add that we were on July 24th so no Pre-testing required for our Cruise.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by idiebabe

[Suslor]

On 8/15/2021 at 2:10 AM, Brentt_M said:

That was all that was needed for my 12 yr old son on the 7/31 cruise, and he was not scrutinized at all.  They barely glanced at our docs.  We uploaded our pics to the app before hand and it worked great.  They had us go to a little tablet like device that used facial recognition to identify us amd then we held up our passports for it to scan. Got a green ok and was pointed to the ship to walk on.  Easiest embarkation I have ever experienced.

Thanks for the information. I was wondering if we needed anything like a notarized letter from his parents or other approval from them. You were traveling with your son although I guess how would they really know he was your son if that’s all the paperwork they looked at 🤪. Just don’t want to get stuck and not be able to board so I guess I need to investigate further. Thanks for sharing. 

[RuthC]

45 minutes ago, Suslor said:

I was wondering if we needed anything like a notarized letter from his parents or other approval from them.

When I took my grandgirls on their cruises I needed a permission statement to have them without their parents, signed by both parents. I also had a permission statement to allow medical treatment, should it become necessary. (I think that is essential to have!). 
When they joined Club HAL, I needed their medical insurance cards. 

As it turned out I never needed the permission statement to have the girls with me until attempting to reenter Canada as we disembarked the ship. It was the Canadian authorities who wanted proof. Not a problem, and I was glad I had it all with me.